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PATENTED MAY v, 1907.

0. G. SCHULZ.

BOX.

APrLIoATIoN FILED JAN. 11. 190e.

.Zzyentor WzeL-sses/ 'rHs NoRRls persk: ca., asuma-ron, n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE OTTO C. SCHULZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BAUER & BLACK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907.

Application led January 11,1906. Serial No. 295,666.

Beit known that I, OTTO C. SCHULZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an air tight and water proof box of strong and inexpensive construction which may be used for a variety of purposes and is especially adapted for holding materials to be kept antiseptic such as bandages for a first aid package.

Heretofore first aid packages, especially for militaryT service, comprising antiseptic bandages and compresses or other materials, have been inclosed sometimes within a wrapper made of rubber sheeting and sealed and sometimes in a metallic wrapper folded and sealed by soldering. The rubber wrapper wears out quickly, is affected by climatic conditions and rots, and with very little or no usage soon becomes wholly ineffective for properly preserving the contents. The metallic wrapper requires considerable handling while being sealed and the soldering is expensive and often ineffective. Furthermore, both the rubber and the metallic wrappers must be applied after the materials to be inclosed thereby have been sterilized and in applying the wrappers the materials are necessarily exposed and handled considerably which is very objectionable.

It is also my object to provide a box which will avoid the objections incident to the rubber and metallic wrappers heretofore referred to and in which the materials can be placed and sterilized before the box is closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metallic air tight box which can be easily opened by compression to break the seal and without requiring the use of instruments or tools of any kind.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a perspective view of the box. Fig. 2 is an end view of the box. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view.

The box comprisestwo parts A, B, which are constructed substantially alike, and are provided at their side and end edges with interlocking flanges shaped to make a hermetic seal by frictional engagement. The part A has an oE-set a, a flange a formed of a double thickness of metal by bending the metal upon itself, and a flange a. The part B is flanged similar to the part A and has an off-set l), a flange b. formed of a double thickness of metal by bending the metal upon itself and a flange b. The bend C connecting the flange a and the flange a is preferably rounded and the flanges a and a are angularly disposed relative to each other so that the groove between said Hanges is wedge-shaped and narrower at the bend C than at its open opposite end. The folds c, c of the metal which form the flange b are separated adjacent to the off-set l) to make this flange wedge-shaped to fit snugly in the wedge-shaped groove of the part A. The off-sets a and b are preferably at right angles to the side and ends A', B respectively of the parts A and B. The bend C and the bend D are preferably rounded as shown.

B y bending the metal upon itself to form the flange a and the flange b and by making the flange b fit snugly in the groove of the part A I provide for a very tight fit and hermetic seal between the parts. The fold c of the flange b will fit snugly against the flange a and the fold c of said flange b will fit snugly against the flange a and the flange b will fit snugly against the flanges (1M/thus forming an air tight and water tight oint between the parts of the box by frictional engagement of three surfaces on one part with three surfaces on the other. The groove formed in the part B between the flange b and the flange b is preferably contracted at its inner end adjacent to the bend D so that the flange a of the part A will fit snugly and tightly therein. The bends C and D preferably rest upon the shoulders formed by the off-sets a and b, respectively. The box is preferably made of thin light metal 'which is pressed or stamped in any suitable manner into the desired shape. The flanges are made in such a way that there is more or less elasticity of the metal which is availed of when the two parts of the box are closed together to promote the frictio'nal engagement of the parts and provide a hermetic seal. Thus flange b is capable of compression to fit in the groove between flanges a and a and flange a is also capable of compression to accommodate flange b.

My improved box is especially suited for first aid packages to be used in military serv- IOO ice for it will not be affected by climatic conditions, will last indefinitely with ordinary wear and will stand considerable rough usage without having its friotional seal broken. As a further precaution against accidental breaking of the seal and opening of the package in transportation and in military service I may also provide one or more straps E which are tightly clamped around the box and carry loops e to receive attaching devices for convenience in carrying the package. A

In preparing a first aid package the bandages and compress, or other materials, can bev packed in one part of the box and then sterilized after which the box isv closed. During the sterilizing operation the other part of the box, which may be referred to in this instance as the top, may rest loosely on the other part or be placed crosswise thereon and afterward affixed to said other part by clamping the parts together. Thus the contents of the box will not be handled and need not be exposed for any appreciable time after the sterilizing operation is completed. The interlocking flanges on the parts of the box form an effective and hermetic seal whereby the parts o f the box are fastened securely together and the contents of the box is kept in an'antiseptic condition. The two parts of the box will be clamped together so tightly that they will not become accidentally separated but the box `can be easily opened by Y compressing it between opposite corners after the straps are removed and for this reason I prefer to make the box of rectangular shape. However I may provide the part B with a stud F at each end and adjacent to the off-set l) so that any instrument that can be used as a lever may be rested upon said stud as a fulc'rum and have one end forced up against the flange a to pry open the box, first at one end and then at the other.

My improved box is designed primarily for first aid packages but it can also be used in various shapes and sizes for other purposes, and it will be found of especial importance as an air tight and water proof container for articles which are to be kept in an antiseptic condition.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A box made of metal in two parts, each of said parts having two substantially parallel flanges, one flange on each part being made wedge shaped, by folding the metal 5 upon itself, and one of said parts having a wedge shaped groovebetween its flanges to receive the wedge shaped flange on the other part. 4

2. A box made of metal in two parts, each of said parts having two substantially parallel flanges around its edge and agroove between said flanges, the outer flange on one part being adapted to fit in the groove of the other part and the inner flange of said other 6 part being adapted to fit in the groove in the first part so that both sides of one flange and one side of the other flange on one part will contact with a corresponding number of sides of the flanges on the other part.

3. A box made of metal in two parts, each of said parts being offset at its sides and ends and between its top and bottom, each of said parts having two substantially parallel flanges extending beyond the offset and a groove between the flanges on each part, the groove on one part receiving the outer flange of the other part and the' groove on the other part receiving the inner flange of said rst part.

OTTO C. SCHULZ.

Vitnesses:

WM. F. BELT, M. A. KIDDIE. 

